Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs articles from September 2008

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports and Issue Briefs archives from September 2008

Iraq: reconciliation and benchmarks.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Elections and Constitutional Referendum in 2005 After about one year of occupation, the United States handed sovereignty to an appointed Iraqi government on June 28, 2004. In line with a March 8, 2004, "Transitional Administrative Law"...

Afghanistan: post-war governance, security, and U.S. policy.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Kenneth Katzman Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Background to recent developments.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Prior to the founding of a monarchy in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, Afghanistan was territory inhabited by tribes and tribal confederations linked to neighboring nations, not a distinct entity. King Amanullah Khan (1919-1929) launched attacks on...

Post-war stabilization and reconstruction.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... The war paved the way for the success of a decade-long U.N. effort to form a broad-based Afghan government; the United Nations was viewed as a credible mediator by all sides largely because of its role in ending the Soviet occupation. During...

Post-war security operations and force capacity building.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... The top security priority of the Administration has been to prevent the Taliban and its allies from challenging the Afghan government. Many of the "nation-building" priorities discussed in previous sections are intended to weaken popular...

Regional context.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Although most of Afghanistan's neighbors believe that the fall of the Taliban has stabilized the region, some experts believe that some neighboring governments are attempting to manipulate Afghanistan's factions to their advantage, even though...

U.S. and international aid to Afghanistan and development issues.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Many experts believe that financial assistance and accelerating reconstruction would do more to improve the security situation than intensified anti-Taliban combat. Afghanistan's economy and society are still fragile after decades of warfare...

Residual issues from past conflicts.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... A few issues remain unresolved from Afghanistan's many years of conflict, such as Stinger retrieval and mine eradication. Stinger Retrieval. Beginning in late 1985 following internal debate, the Reagan Administration provided about 2,000...

Appendix. U.S. and international sanctions lifted.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Virtually all U.S. and international sanctions on Afghanistan, some imposed during the Soviet occupation era and others on the Taliban regime, have now been lifted. * On January 10, 2003, President Bush signed a proclamation making...

Iraq: post-Saddam governance and security.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Kenneth Katzman Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Policy in the 1990s emphasized containment.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
September 1, 2008... Prior to the January 16, 1991, launch of Operation Desert Storm to reverse Iraq's August 1990 invasion of Kuwait, President George H.W. Bush called on the Iraqi people to overthrow Saddam. That Administration decided not to try to do so...

Post-September 11, 2001: regime change and war.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
September 1, 2008... Several senior Bush Administration officials had long been advocates of a regime change policy toward Iraq, but the difficulty of that strategy led the Bush Administration initially to continue its predecessor's containment policy. (11) Some...

Post-Saddam transition and governance.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
September 1, 2008... According to statements by the Administration, U.S. goals are for a unified, democratic, and federal Iraq that can sustain, govern, and defend itself and is an ally in the global war on terrorism. Administration officials have, for the most...

Security challenges and responses.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
September 1, 2008... Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the United States has employed a multifaceted approach to stabilizing Iraq. In late 2006, the effort was determined by the Administration to be faltering due to continuing sectarian violence--superimposed on a...

Iraq study group report, legislative proposals, and other options.(Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security)
September 1, 2008... In formulating the "troop surge" strategy announced on January 10, 2007, President Bush said he weighed the December 6, 2006, report of the Iraq Study Group, as well as input from several other reviews, including one directed by the Joint...

Economic analysis of a mortgage foreclosure moratorium.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Background Economic Analysis of Delaying Foreclosure The Economics of Excess Inventories in the Housing Market Supply and Demand Attitude of Developers Toward Prior Home Purchasers Nominal...

Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's financial problems: frequently asked questions.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Questions About Conservatorship What Is Conservatorship? Why Did the FHFA Place Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Under Conservatorship? Why Did FHFA Act on September 7, 2008, Instead of Earlier or...

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in conservatorship.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Background. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs)--shareholder-owned corporations with government charters--that play a central role in mortgage finance. They buy home mortgages from the original lenders,...

Financial institution insolvency: federal authority over Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and depository institutions.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Overview of the U.S. Credit Crunch and Its Effect on Fannie, Freddie, Banks, and Thrifts Introduction Background on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac FDIC and Insolvent Banks and Thrifts Background Appointment...

The cost of government financial interventions, past and present.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Where Has the Money Come From? In the recent interventions, there have been two primary sources of funding: the Federal Reserve (Fed) and the U.S. Treasury. The Fed has the general authority under its founding statute to loan money "in...

Proposal to allow treasury to buy mortgage-related assets to address financial instability.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Following a week of severe stress in financial markets, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve met with congressional leaders on September 19, 2008, to ask for legislation to authorize direct intervention in the...

The budget for fiscal year 2009.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Overview Budget Totals Outlays and Budget Authority Budget Estimates and Proposals CBO Baseline Projections CBO Analysis of the President's Budget Administration Projections and Proposals ...

Immigration legislation and issues in the 110th Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Foreign Workers and Students Foreign Workers Agricultural Workers Temporary Nonagricultural Workers Temporary Workers in Specialty Occupations Temporary Admission of Professional...

Iran's activities and influence in Iraq.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Background Iran's influence in Iraq has hindered, but not derailed, U.S. efforts to stabilize Iraq, and has heightened the U.S. threat perception of Iran more generally. With a conventional military and weapons of mass destruction (WMD)...

Royalty relief for U.S. deepwater oil and gas leases.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Introduction As oil and gas prices hit record levels during 2006, allegations arose about missteps at the Minerals Management Service (MMS) regarding the collection of royalties for oil and gas production on the outer continental shelf...

Long-range ballistic missile defense in Europe.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction The Threat The System The Location Poland Czech Republic Policy Issues Debate in Poland and the Czech Republic European Response Congressional Actions Fiscal Year 2009 ...

Sea-based ballistic missile defense--Background and Issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Background Rationale for Sea-Based BMD Systems Aegis BMD Program In General Aegis BMD Program Office Aegis Ships Aegis Midcourse and Sea-Based Terminal Programs ...

U.S. international trade: trends and forecasts.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Most Recent Developments Trade in Goods Trade in Services Trade in Goods and Services The U.S. Deficit in International Trade Savings Shortfalls and the Trade Deficit Implications of...

Nuclear energy policy.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Most Recent Developments Nuclear Power Status and Outlook Possible New Reactors Federal Support Nuclear Production Tax Credit Standby Support Loan Guarantees Global Climate...

Israeli-Arab negotiations: background, conflicts, and U.S. policy.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Most Recent Developments Israel-Palestine Israel-Syria Israel-Lebanon Background U.S. Role Conferences, Negotiations, Conflicts Madrid Bilateral Talks and Developments ...

China naval modernization: implications for U.S. Navy capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Ronald O'Rourke Specialist in Naval Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Introduction.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Issue for Congress Concern has grown in Congress and elsewhere since the 1990s about China's military modernization and its potential implications for required U.S. military capabilities. China's military modernization is an increasing...

Background.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... China's Naval Modernization (3) This section summarizes certain elements of China's military modernization that may have implications for required U.S. Navy capabilities. See Appendix B for additional details and commentary on several of...

Potential oversight issues for Congress.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Potential oversight questions for Congress arising from China's military modernization and its potential implications for required U.S. Navy capabilities can be organized into three groups: * questions relating to China's military...

Legislative activity.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... FY2009 FY2009 legislative activity for some of the issues covered in this report is covered in other CRS reports, as follows: * for the size of the fleet, see CRS Report RL32665, Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background...

Appendix A. Examples of expressions of concern.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... This appendix presents some examples since 2005 of expressions of concern about China's military modernization, and of its potential implications for U.S. Navy requirements. A May 2005 press report stated that: China is one of the...

Appendix B. Additional details on China's Naval modernization efforts.(China Naval Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities--Background and Issues for Congress)
September 1, 2008... This appendix presents additional details and commentary on several of the elements of China's military modernization discussed in the "Background" section of this report. Missiles. Anti-Ship Ballistic Missiles (ASBMs). Regarding the...

Managing the nuclear fuel cycle: policy implications of expanding global access to nuclear power.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Renewed Interest in Nuclear Power Expansion Worldwide Nuclear Power Status Nuclear Fuel Services Market Yellowcake Conversion Enrichment Fuel Fabrication Final...

Turkey: update on crisis of identity and power.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Overview Political Situation The Lawsuit to Ban the AKP and its Aftermath Ergenekon Role of the Military U.S. Policy Overview Secularism has been one of the "fundamental and unchanging...

The Manhattan project, the Apollo program, and federal energy technology R&D programs: a comparative analysis.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents The Manhattan Project The Apollo Program Energy Technology Research and Development Comparative Analysis of the Manhattan Project, the Apollo Program, and Federal Energy Technology R&D Funding Threat...

Japan's political turmoil in 2008: background and implications for the United States.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Next Steps Late September--Party Leadership Elections. Over the course of three days in late September 2008, all three of Japan's major parties will hold leadership elections. The largest opposition party, the Democratic Party of Japan...

Outer continental shelf leasing: side-by-side comparison of five legislative proposals.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Recent Developments Background This report provides a side-by-side comparison of three bills and two proposals--H.R. 6566, H.R. 6670, H.R. 6709, H.R. 6899 (the House Leadership Proposal), and the Senate Draft...

International criminal court cases in Africa: status and policy issues.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Background Overview of the International Criminal Court The U.S. Position on the ICC The ICC and Other International Courts and Tribunals Congressional Interest in the ICC in Africa ...

China's greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation policies.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction: China and Climate Change China in Context China's Energy Sector China's National Greenhouse Gas Emissions GHG per capita GHG Productivity or Intensity China's Contribution to GHG Concentrations...

U.S.-Russian civilian nuclear cooperation agreement: issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Background Nuclear Energy and Nonproliferation Cooperation U.S.-Russian Relations On May 13, 2008, President Bush submitted the proposed text of the U.S.-Russian civilian nuclear cooperation agreement to Congress...

Bush administration policy regarding congressionally originated earmarks: an overview.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Conceptions About Earmarking Congressionally Originated Earmarks Presidentially and Agency-Originated Earmarks "Joint" or "Hybrid" Earmarks Definitions in the 110th Congress Potential...

The Alaska natural gas pipeline: status and current policy issues.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Historical Overview Recent Developments Alaska's Selection Process Applications Recent Reports Current Status of AGIA Policy Issues Energy Supply Open Access to the...

Iran: U.S. concerns and policy responses.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Kenneth Katzman Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Political history.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... The United States was an ally of the late Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi ("the Shah"), who ruled from 1941 until his ouster in February 1979. The Shah assumed the throne when Britain and Russia forced his father, Reza Shah Pahlavi (Reza...

Regime stability, human rights, and recent elections.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... About a decade after founding the Islamic republic, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini died on June 3, 1989. The regime he established, consisting of some elected and some appointed positions, appears relatively stable, despite internal schisms,...

Iran's strategic capabilities and weapons of mass destruction programs.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... The Administration's "National Security Strategy" document released March 16, 2006--which continues to represent a prevailing and perhaps even growing Administration view--says the United States "may face no greater challenge from a single...

Foreign policy and support for terrorist groups.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... Iran's foreign policy is a product of the ideology of Iran's Islamic revolution, blended with long-standing national interests, and is intended largely to overturn the "status quo" in the Middle East that Iran believes favors the United...

U.S. policy responses, options, and legislation.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... The February 11, 1979 fall of the Shah of Iran, a key U.S. ally, opened a long rift in U.S.-Iranian relations. On November 4, 1979, radical "students" seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held its diplomats hostage until minutes after...

Conclusion.(Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses)
September 1, 2008... Mistrust between the United States and Iran's Islamic regime has run deep for over two decades. Many experts say that all factions in Iran are united on major national security issues and that U.S.-Iran relations might not improve unless or...

Financial market intervention.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Current Concerns What, if anything, is wrong with the financial system? Banks and other financial institutions have been reluctant to lend or otherwise engage with other institutions for fear of exposure to the bad assets of troubled...

Economic slowdown: issues and policies.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents The Current State of the Economy Is Additional Fiscal Stimulus Needed? Stimulus Proposals Enacted and Considered Tax Rebates Preliminary Evidence on the Rebates' Economic Effects Business Tax...

Iraq: politics, elections, and benchmarks.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Elections and Constitutional Referendum in 2005 After about one year of occupation, the United States handed sovereignty to an appointed Iraqi government on June 28, 2004. In line with a March 8, 2004, "Transitional Administrative Law"...

Gasoline prices: causes of increases and congressional response.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Most Recent Developments Background and Analysis Legislative Activities Why Are Prices So High? Crude Oil Prices Gasoline Prices Policy Options Oil-Related Legislation ...

Afghanistan: post-war governance, security, and U.S. Policy.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Kenneth Katzman Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Background to recent developments.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Prior to the founding of a monarchy in 1747 by Ahmad Shah Durrani, Afghanistan was territory inhabited by tribes and tribal confederations linked to neighboring nations, not a distinct entity. King Amanullah Khan (1919-1929) launched attacks on...

Post-war stabilization and reconstruction.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. policy)
September 1, 2008... The war paved the way for the success of a decade-long U.N. effort to form a broad-based Afghan government; the United Nations was viewed as a credible mediator by all sides largely because of its role in ending the Soviet occupation. During...

Post-war security operations and force capacity building.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... The top security priority of the Administration has been to prevent the Taliban and its allies from challenging the Afghan government. Many of the "nation-building" priorities discussed in previous sections are intended to weaken popular...

Regional context.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Although most of Afghanistan's neighbors believe that the fall of the Taliban has stabilized the region, some experts believe that some neighboring governments are attempting to manipulate Afghanistan's factions to their advantage, even though...

Residual issues from past conflicts.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... A few issues remain unresolved from Afghanistan's many years of conflict, such as Stinger retrieval and mine eradication. Stinger Retrieval. Beginning in late 1985 following internal debate, the Reagan Administration provided about 2,000...

Appendix. U.S. and international sanctions lifted.(Afghanistan: Post-War Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy)
September 1, 2008... Virtually all U.S. and international sanctions on Afghanistan, some imposed during the Soviet occupation era and others on the Taliban regime, have now been lifted. * On January 10, 2003, President Bush signed a proclamation making...

Sovereign wealth funds: background and policy issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Introduction Background What Are Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs)? What Countries Operate SWFs? Middle East Asia The Size of SWFs Policy Issues for Congress Transparency and...

Israel: background and relations with the United States.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Most Recent Developments Domestic Politics Scandals Iran and Security Cooperation with the United States Historical Overview of Israel Government and Politics Overview Recent Political...

Enemy combatant detainees: habeas corpus challenges in federal court.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Jennifer K. Elsea, Michael John Garcia, and Kenneth R. Thomas Legislative Attorneys American Law Division

Introduction.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... In the 2004 case Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, (1) a divided Supreme Court declared that "a state of war is not a blank check for the president"and ruled that persons deemed "enemy combatants" have the right to challenge their detention before a judge or...

Background.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... The White House determined in February 2002 that Taliban detainees are covered under the Geneva Conventions, (12) while Al Qaeda detainees are not, (13) but that none of the detainees qualifies for the status of prisoner of war (POW). (14) The...

Court challenges to the detention policy.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... While the Supreme Court clarified in Rasul and Boumediene that the detainees have recourse to federal courts to challenge their detention, the extent to which they may enforce any rights they may have under the Geneva Conventions and other law...

Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (DTA).(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... The Detainee Treatment Act of 2005 (DTA), passed after the Court's decision in Rasul, requires uniform standards for interrogation of persons in the custody of the Department of Defense, (109) and expressly bans cruel, inhuman, or degrading...

The Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA).(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... After the Court's decision in Hamdan, the Bush Administration proposed legislation to Congress, (118) a version of which was enacted on October 17, 2006. The Military Commissions Act of 2006 (MCA) authorized the trial of certain detainees by...

Post-MCA issues and developments.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... Shortly after the enactment of the MCA, the government filed motions to dismiss all of the habeas petitions in the D.C. Circuit involving detainees at Guantanamo Bay (139) and the petition of an alien detained as an enemy combatant in a naval...

Boumediene v. Bush.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... The petitioners in Boumediene are aliens detained at Guantanamo who sought habeas review of their continued detention. Rather than pursuing an appeal of their designation as enemy combatants by CSRTs using the DTA appeals process, the...

Constitutional considerations and options for Congress.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... The Supreme Court decision in Boumediene holding that the DTA violates the Constitution's Suspension Clause (article I, [section] 9, cl. 2) leaves open a number of constitutional questions regarding the scope of the Writ of Habeas Corpus and...

Legislative action in the 110th Congress.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... Congress passed a reporting requirement in the the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2008 addressing detainees at Guantanamo. Several bills have been introduced to authorize and regulate the detention of terrorist suspects, and others...

Conclusion.(Enemy Combatant Detainees: Habeas Corpus Challenges in Federal Court)
September 1, 2008... The Administration's policy of detaining wartime captives and suspected terrorists at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Station has raised a host of novel legal questions regarding, among other matters, the relative powers of the President and Congress...

Boumediene v. Bush: Guantanamo detainees' right to habeas corpus.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Contents Background Application of MCA to Pending Habeas Actions Constitutional Privilege to Habeas Adequacy of Habeas Corpus Substitute Implications of Boumediene In the consolidated cases of Boumediene v. Bush and Al Odah v....

Instability in Chad.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Chad, a landlocked country roughly twice the size of Texas, has had a turbulent history of religious and ethnic conflict and intermittent civil war in its 40 years of independence. Bordered by Libya to the north and Sudan to the east, it is...

Navy role in Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)--Background and Issues for Congress.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Background Longstanding Navy GWOT-Related Activities. The Navy for several years has carried out a variety of activities related to what the Bush administration refers to as the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), including the following: ...

U.S. trade deficit and the impact of rising oil prices.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Background According to data published by the Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce, (1) the prices of petroleum products over the past year have risen sharply, generally rising considerably faster than the change in demand for those...

The Kurds in post-Saddam Iraq.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Pre-War Background The Kurds, a mountain-dwelling Indo-European people, comprise the fourth largest ethnic group in the Middle East, but they have never obtained statehood. The World War I peace settlement raised hopes of Kurdish...

The U.S. farm economy.(CRS Report for Congress)
September 1, 2008... Introduction Two indicators that measure the economic well-being of the farm economy are net cash income and net farm income. Net cash income compares cash receipts to cash expenses. As such, it is a cash flow measure representing the...